Old houses are special for their charm and character, but they also have special problems. An annoyance regularly encountered by people who buy or rent in old buildings is the stuck window. These windows stick closed for several reasons, but one common reason is that they've been painted shut. If you've found yourself battling stuck windows, here's some help to get fresh air back in your life.
Window Anatomy
Windows with panels that move up and down are called "sash windows." The panels, or sashes, move in channels that keep them from falling into the room or the back yard. The lower sash is held in place by thin strips of molding on either side called the inner stops.
Some sash windows are single-hung, meaning only the bottom sash moves. This is more common in houses with central air-conditioning. Older houses are more likely to have double-hung windows, where both top and bottom sashes move. If your top sash doesn't move, look at the inside of the frame: if there isn't a channel or groove to let the window slide, it isn't moving because it isn't supposed to. If there's a channel, you'll find two more molding strips that separate the channels for the sashes. These are called parting strips.
Many sashes are been frozen in place by paint that fills the spaces between the sashes and the molding. It's fairly easy to remove this paint if there aren't too many layers.
